Dark circles under the eyes is something that many people have experienced. They can be caused by a number of factors including genetics, age, allergies and illness. In many cases, their appearance can be diminished, but if you want to eliminate them completely, you need to find the underlying cause of your dark circles and treat it properly.

First Understand the Causes of Dark Circles

There are a few causes of dark circles that appear under or around the eyes and understanding the causes can help you determine how to get rid of dark circles.

1

Lack of Sleep

When we don’t get enough sleep, it can cause stress and other health problems that leave the skin looking paler than usual which can create hollows under the eyes, giving the appearance of dark circles. Fatigue can also give the appearance of dark circles. Getting a good eight hours sleep can help alleviate the problems and eliminate the appearance of dark circles.

2

Dehydration

Not getting enough fluids can lead to dehydration and the appearance of dark circles. It causes fatigue, dry mouth, dry skin and dark urine. The best way to treat this condition is to get plenty of fluids during the day—at least eight glasses of water—but if the dehydration is severe or caused by an underlying medical condition, then you need to consult a doctor.

3

Allergy Reaction

Allergies are a very common cause for the appearance of dark circles. Whether seasonal or year-round, treating your allergies correctly can not only ease allergy symptoms but can eliminate dark circles.

4

Smoking

Smoking can cause problems to the blood vessels, leading to many health problems as well as dark circles around the eyes. Blood vessels around the eyes can be made more prominent or appear bluer in color. The best thing is to quit smoking right away.

5

Stress and Anxiety

Our skin can reflect the health of our bodies, and stress and anxiety can definitely show up in our skin in the form of rashes, paleness, sallowness and dark circles around the eyes. Learning how to manage stress and anxiety and relax will help reduce any skin issues and decrease the appearance of discoloration around the eyes.

6

PMS

Puffiness and dark circles around the eyes can be caused by PMS. Check to see if it happens a few days before your period. If this is the case, you can use natural diuretics to reduce swelling and discoloration such as green tea, and it helps to eliminate salty foods about a week before you get your period.

7

Nasal Congestion

Nasal congestion can dilate the blood vessels that run from our eyes to our nose, causing them to appear darker or bluish in color. Once you determine the cause of your congestion, you can treat it and eliminate the problem of dark circles around the eyes.

8

Nutrition Deficiency

If you aren’t eating healthy, you could have certain nutritional deficiencies and this can show up on your skin. If you have dark circles around the eyes, you should increase your intake of foods containing vitamins C, E, and K, iron and folic acid. This includes fruits, nuts, green leafy vegetables, seafood, beef, cheese, green tea and avocadoes.

9

Heredity

In some cases dark circles are hereditary. If your mom or grandmother has them then you are probably prone to them, as well. There isn’t much you can do about getting rid of the dark circles in this case, but you can use make up products to diminish the appearance of the dark circles.

10

Other Possible Causes

Besides the nine factors mentioned above, there are other things that can cause dark circles under your eyes, such as irregularities of pigmentation under the skin, some medications, and too much sun exposure.

How to Get Rid of Dark Circles: Top 6 Home Remedies

Once you have determined the cause of dark circles, now you can do something about them. There are a number of home remedies that can help you get rid of dark circles.

1

Tea Bag, Ice Cubes & Frozen Spoon

Green tea has soothing properties and a cool wet green tea bag can help reduce swelling and remove dark circles. Ice cubes wrapped in a soft cloth can also help reduce swelling and get rid of dark circles. You can try to place the back of a frozen spoon gently over the eyes for a few minutes as well.

2

Cucumber

Cucumbers contain mild astringent and skin-lightening properties that can help remove dark circles. They are also cooling and soothing to the skin and can reduce swelling. Cut cucumber into slices and chill them for thirty minutes. Place the slices over your eye area for ten minutes. Repeat this process twice a day. You can also mix cucumber juice and lemon juice and apply with a cotton ball to your eyes, but be careful to not get it in your eye balls.

3

Rosewater

Rosewater has a soothing effect on tired eyes and can rejuvenate the skin thanks to its mild astringent properties. Just soak a cotton ball in rosewater for a few minutes, then place over closed eyes. Leave them on eyes for about fifteen minutes. Do this twice a day for a few weeks until the dark circles disappear.

4

Raw Potato

Potatoes contain natural bleaching agents that are mild on the skin and can clear up dark circles and eliminate puffiness around eyes. Simply grate a raw white potato to extract the juice. Soak a cotton ball in the juice, place over closed eyes for ten to fifteen minutes and rinse with cool water.

5

Tomato

Tomatoes can lighten skin due to mild bleaching properties. Just mix one teaspoon of tomato juice with a half-teaspoon of lemon juice. Apply the mixture to closed eyes with fingertips or a cotton ball and let sit for ten minutes, rinsing with water when you’re done. You can also drink a daily glass of fresh tomato juice with mint in it.

6

Oil

Massaging a small amount of almond or coconut oil into the skin around eyes not only lightens the skin but also reduces fine lines. Gently massage the almond oil into the skin around your eyes before bed and leave on overnight. Wash gently the next morning with water. Or, gently massage coconut oil into the skin around eyes and leave on for a few hours, rinsing with warm water. You can do this a few times a day. Use each oil treatment for a few months until satisfied with the results.

How to Get Rid of Dark Circles: 8 Most Popular Makeup Solutions

In some cases such as heredity, we cannot eliminate the dark circles, but we can get rid of them with the help of makeup and other beauty products. Below are a few ways of how to get rid of dark circles with cosmetics.

1

Always Wear Sunscreen

Sun exposure to the delicate eye area can cause hyperpigmentation and lead to the appearance of dark circles. Wearing sunscreen can prevent this from happening, but be sure to find one with good ingredients that won’t irritate the eyes.

2

Use an Eye Cream

There are many brands of eye cream on the market that can help remove dark circles around the eyes. Look for a cream with vitamin A which fades the dark pigment and increases collagen, making skin less transparent.

3

Choose the Proper Makeup Remover

Rubbing the skin around the eyes too hard can damage the sensitive skin and cause inflammation which causes dark circles. Good makeup removers contain no harsh ingredients to irritate the eyes and they will melt the makeup, so it’s not necessary to rub your skin when cleaning your face.

4

Look For Brightening Ingredients

If melanin overproduction is the problem, brightening creams contain ingredients like licorice, vitamin C and kojic acid can disrupt the melanin production. In more severe cases, your dermatologist can prescribe a cream to help fade the dark circles under your eyes.

5

Choose a Creamy Solid Concealer

To instantly diminish the appearance of dark circles, a good creamy concealer can do the trick. It will stay put and give you the well-rested appearance that you are looking for. Just be sure you don’t overdo it. Pick a concealer with peach undertones to neutralize the blue color of dark circles and apply a thin layer.

6

Choose the Right Eye Shadow

A subtle shimmery nude shadow that is a little darker than your skin tone can easily brighten your eyes, diminishing the appearance of dark circles. If it’s too light, it looks dated.

7

Use an Eyelash Curler

Sometimes long lashes that don’t curl can cast a shadow to the under eye area. This can be remedied by using a curler. Curling your lashes also gives your eyes a bright, wide-awake appearance. You can make it a better effect by following up with a good curling mascara.

8

Use a Pale Eyeliner

A soft, pale peach liner can help reduce the appearance of dark circles and redness around your eyes. Draw the liner gently along the inner waterline of your eyes to brighten the whites of your eyes and the area around your eyes.